The New Marlins Ballbark

An Animated first look on what the New Marlins Ballpark experience is going to be like. With the stadium costing 515 million dollars, the Designers of "Populous" and the eye of the Marlins Owner "Jeffery Loria" bring Miami the most state of the art facility in South Florida.

An early Marlins ballpark primer, 34 months before opening day 2012:

• Expect the dome to be closed more often that not, perhaps about 60 of the 81 games games each year. It will be shut not only on rainy days but also during the hot summer months, allowing the Marlins to turn on the air conditioning.

A scientific formula -- measuring temperature, dew point, humidity, etc. -- will determine whether to shut the roof, which will take 13 minutes to close. The roof's three panels can be operated independently to produce micro-shading effects over the playing field and spectators.

• The number of seats is being limited to 37,000 not only to fuel demand for tickets, but also to create a more intimate environment. That capacity will be the third-lowest in baseball, ahead of Oakland (35,067) and Tampa Bay (36,973). But both the A's and Rays can open up additional seats to accommodate larger crowds -- something the Marlins can do at Land Shark Stadium but will not be able to do at their new ballpark.

The ballpark will have three decks, with 10,000 seats in the upper deck.

• Most ticket prices will not be set until closer to opening, but 1000 will be priced at $15.

''We will have educational sessions to teach people how to go from home to their seat,'' Samson said at a town hall meeting earlier this year. ``When you pay for parking, you give people a choice where they want to go.''

• There will be 5,700 parking spaces, but for some games, that probably will not be enough to accommodate everyone. Some fans might park on homeowners' lawns, as they did when they attended games at the Orange Bowl. ''Parking is always a concern,'' Samson said, encouraging fans to consider public transportation. The two parking garages will include retail stores on the ground floor.

• Like Land Shark Stadium, the Marlins' current home, the ballpark dimensions will be pitcher-friendly: 422 feet to center field, 392 feet in the right field power alley and 384 feet in the left field power alley. The outfield wall will be closest down the right field line (335 feet). Down the left field line, the wall will be 340 feet from home plate.

The dimensions likely will result in fewer home runs than some other ballparks. But ''pitching wins pennants,'' Samson said. The field will have natural grass, and the seats will be painted blue.

• The plaza, on four acres of land on the west side of the ballpark, will be open year round and will be ''the largest of any stadium in the history of the United States,'' Samson said.

He envisions a park with a fountain, ``an area for people to congregate during lunch, after lunch, during work, after work. It will be the signature park of Miami, with some sort of outdoor exhibit areas. I hope when we open the ballpark, it will be completed.''

A team merchandise store is planned, and perhaps a restaurant.

• One of the signature features will be a half-acre retractable window wall above the left field seats, offering a view of the city.

• Inside the stadium, ''Taste of Miami'' food courts will sell sushi, stone crabs, croquettas and other dishes. ''We will cater to the diversity of Miami,'' Samson said. ``This is not going to be a popcorn, peanut, Cracker Jack stadium only.''

• A party suite area behind the left field wall will feature a swimming pool that generally will be marketed for groups to purchase, but might be available for individual fans to use for a couple of games each season. The size of the pool and the pricing have not been determined.

• There will be two scoreboards that offer replays, the bigger one above the right field wall and the smaller one above the left field line.

• The stadium will include a porch above right field that will be ''a fascinating, fabulous place to watch a game,'' Samson said. 'There will be standing room seats and a bar nearby. It's not going to hang over the field like the porch at [the New York Mets' stadium], Citi Field.''

There will be an area for fans to stand and watch the game from behind right field, near the right-field line, but it will be designed in a way where the view of seated fans will not be blocked.

• The ballpark will have 50 suites, likely including one in which seats can be purchased on a per-game basis.

• There will be see-through fences in right field and left field, allowing fans to gaze into both bullpens.

• Loria said he's not ready to give details about the signature water feature that will be behind center field.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Florida
• Marlins
• new
• ballpark
• ball
• park
• animated
• miami
• orange
• bowl
• 3D

[8263ston]

WOWOW what a beautiful empty stadium that will be

[Coastergeekperson04]

This person's username is now obsolete.

[yongadog]

Wished the team would move to Montreal. They'd have a better fan base there.

[TheStudyDog]

Miami will be a great place to play baseball!

[marcheetoz]

@gibblet22 wow how original. U make that up yourself?

[TheFreshkid321]

This is a nice stadium but it's a bad idea to make this stadium cause the there's not enough fans so ur just wasting money

[gibblet22]

Its a little big for the 75 fans that will be attending after the first 2 games

[ISoFreshhh]

To be exactt... i know David Samson in REAL live he has a wonderfull family. i was just on the Norwegian Cruise with his family. and that isent it.. he showed us his stadium.. its the sunlife... and theres a new one in 2011... so thats not it :)

[cfuquay90]

it will theyve already sold out of most of the multi game ticket packages believe it or not and the home opener is sold out too. this season will be a fun one

[thestuvylives]

@BennandJosh citizens bank park in philadelphia houses in excess of 42, 000. every game is sold out, and there are a few thousand standing room only tickets sold every game.

[thestuvylives]

A modern atrocity. Give me a hot dog, some peanuts, and a seat in Wrigley Field. That's baseball

[lakerskid2013]

I like that big screen at 1:28.